Council hails our Community heroes

PACEMAKER, BELFAST, 15/3/2012: Nominees in the Community Development Group category at the Coleraine Borough Council Community Endeavour awards, are congratulated by Mayor Alderman Maurice Bradley .'PICTURE BY STEPHEN DAVISON

Published:11:54Thursday 22 March 2012

LAST week, the Community Development Team at Coleraine Borough Council welcomed over 80 guests to the second year of the Community Endeavour Awards.

The awards ceremony was organised by the Council to give special recognition to the many groups and organisations whose members selflessly give up their free time and energy for the betterment of their local community.

Council welcomed nominations for groups who have made and continue to make a significant contribution to their local area. There were four categories in which a group could be nominated including Community Development, Good Relations, District Policing Partnership & Community Safety and, new to this year, Health and Well Being.

The 2012 Community Endeavour Awards were presented to the following groups: Coleraine Football Club Academy for the Community Development Group Award. The Good Relations Award was presented to Coleraine Borough 50+ Forum. Greenmount Community Association received the award in the District Policing Partnership/Community Safety Category. Finally, the Health and Well Being Award went to Age Concern Causeway – Volunteer Mealtime Companions.

Acting Community Development Manager, Karina McCollum, was delighted by the positive response to this the Council’s second year of the Community Endeavour Awards.

She said: “In 2012, Council worked in partnership with other local agencies and groups to produce a Community Cohesion Strategy ‘Tomorrow Together’.

“The vision of the strategy is about creating a sense of belonging within local neighbourhoods and the Borough itself, whilst working towards building an inclusive and shared Borough – a place for all.

“Our first Community Endeavour Awards was a big success and the second year has proven just as popular and has again received a great deal of support and enthusiasm from all those involved. Council was eager to highlight the many hours of voluntary commitment that committees, groups and volunteers dedicate to improving their local communities.”

Mayor of Coleraine, Alderman Maurice Bradley added: “Voluntary and community organisations play a vital role in society today, including lobbying for improved access to services, providing social and educational opportunities for local residents and improving good relations within and between communities. Community development and building good relations can often be very challenging and Council endeavours to take every opportunity to encourage people engaged in this work, praising, recognising and supporting their effort.”